Video: Did Nikol Pashinyan Hint to the Defense Minister What Answer to Give?

Member of the National Assembly from the ‘Hayastan’ faction, Aghvan Vardanyan, read the names of detained parliamentarians and community leaders from Syunik: ‘Armen Charchyan, Arush Arushanyan, Mkhitar Zakaryan, Arthur Sargsyan, Manvel Paramazyan, Menua Hovsepyan, Ashot Minasyan. These individuals are in detention, Armen Charchyan has provided health to thousands of people, operated on hundreds of soldiers, he is a member of this National Assembly. Arush Arushanyan was elected mayor of Goris twice, he has also defeated opponents in jail; Arthur Sargsyan and Mkhitar Zakaryan are also parliamentarians and former city mayors of Syunik; Manvel Paramazyan is the mayor of Kajaran, Menua Hovsepyan is the deputy mayor of Goris, Ashot Minasyan is the commander of the ‘Sisakan Detachment’, a participant in three wars. A simple question: in which case would Syunik be better protected, if these people were in their places or in prison?’ Vardanyan inquired.

He mentioned that he expected the response from the Defense Minister, who he referred to as a decent minister: ‘Thank you for the kind words, however, to be honest, I do not know which jurisdiction the Defense Minister is in when speaking about the work of the judicial system. I believe that the Republic of Armenia would be more protected in every sector if each stakeholder performed their duties properly, including committing less thievery,’ said Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.

Vardanyan responded, ‘When I referred to you as a decent minister, that was my informed opinion about you. I was not asking you a question about the judicial system; I was asking a simple question and thought that decency is such an important quality that you should not need prompting from someone else to answer that simple question.’ It is noteworthy that before Papikyan responded to Vardanyan's question, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was hinting to him what answer to give.

Suren Papikyan also declared that Syunik would be better protected and would become so when they fulfill their obligations.